S-0387.6  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5429

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Morton, Hargrove, Deccio, Sellar and Hochstatter

Read first time 01/22/1999.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation.

Creating procedural requirements in the transfer of state trust lands.

    AN ACT Relating to procedural requirements in the transfer of state trust land; adding new sections to chapter 79.08 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Prior to transferring six thousand four hundred acres or more of state trust land to any status apart from the trust, the department of natural resources shall:

    (1) Make a full appraisal of land values, timber values, or any other values;

    (2) Contact all adjacent landowners to inform them of the proposed transfer;

    (3) Prepare a local economic and social impact statement at the expense of the entity that would receive the land;

    (4) Develop an assessment of long-term community impacts;

    (5) Work with existing land users and lessees to encourage historical uses of the land; and

    (6) Develop requirements for the new entity managing the land for the control of noxious weeds and invasive nonindigenous species.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  Prior to transferring state trust land to any status apart from the trust, the board of natural resources shall:

    (1) Hold at least two public hearings in the area of the lands being traded and in the area of the lands being acquired;

    (2) Publicize the trade with legal notices and with advertisements in local papers; and

    (3) Provide supporting data with a recommendation to the legislature.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  If the transfer of state trust land involves forest lands, the forest practices board shall, prior to the transfer of the state trust land:

    (1) Review past forest practices on the lands to be transferred and prepare a recommendation on future timber management options; and

    (2) Prepare special forest practice rules for the lands, if needed, to carry out the intended uses of the future landowners.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  Prior to the transfer of state trust land, the legislature shall:

    (1) Review the land transfers recommended by the board of natural resources;

    (2) Review funding for the transfer and economic and social impacts; and

    (3) Approve or disapprove the final proposal by concurrent resolution.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  All costs of the transfer of state trust land, and the implementation of this act, shall be paid by the entity receiving the land.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  The board of natural resources must develop criteria to be considered when lands are proposed for transfer and submit them to the legislature by January 1, 2000.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.  The board of natural resources must develop funding mechanisms to offset economic impacts to local governments and local communities and submit its results to the legislature by January 1, 2000.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.  Sections 1 through 5 of this act are each added to chapter 79.08 RCW.

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